National Action for Quality Education (NAQEZ) has strongly opposed suggestions by some individuals that teachers who were in service before 2014 should retire at the age of 60.
In a statement, NAQEZ Executive Director Aaron Chansa said the organization firmly supports the Court of Appeal Judgement 0f 2018, which declared that only people who got employment after 2014 will be retired at the age of 60.
“The court ruled that anyone who was in employment before the introduction of Statutory Instrument No.63 of 2014 shall retire at the age of 55,” Mr. Chansa said.
He explained that NAQEZ agrees with the position of the court due to a well-known fact that the law is not applied retrospectively.
The Executive Director added that the 55-year retirement age will allow teachers to retire with energy for them to venture into other equally important endeavours.
With a low life expectancy in Zambia, it is agonising to even find some people wanting to retire after 60 years,
Mr. Chansa said.
He added that the retiring of teachers at the age of 60 or 65 will also prevent new graduates from joining the system.
NAQEZ Executive Director has since encouraged the Teaching Service Commission to give all teachers above the age of 55, a six months’ notice of retirement in order for them to access both retirement and pension benefits.